Team Davis

Cut the cord...

2011-12-12T10:36:00.000-05:00

It's official - Emily and I are off of Facebook again. This time, hopefully, for good. The only reason we got back on was to share pictures of Hank, but temptation took over, and we both wound up spending way too much time on it. So, we'll try to get the blog going again, and post pictures here.

Speaking of pictures, here is one Emily sent me while I was at work. I love getting these. My little man is practically grown.

My Wife

2011-08-30T06:35:00.001-04:00

Emily and I had been dating for less than three weeks when I left for Fort Richardson, Alaska. I don’t know how we managed to cram a two year relationship into two weeks, but that’s a fair description of what happened. I had just gotten out of airborne school, and I had about a month of leave in Nashville before reporting to my first duty station in Anchorage. A long-term, long-distance relationship was the last thing I expected to take with me. Looking back, I’m glad it worked out that way.

One of the first things I did when I arrived in Alaska was to write Emily a poem. I’m a fair writer, but a shoddy poet. That didn’t matter to Emily – she appreciated every cheesy line. Since then, she has casually mentioned to me that I haven’t written her any other poems. I probably never will.

Emily and I have been married for eight years today. We’ve lived in three states, and we’ve driven across the entire country together – from Anchorage to the Carolina coast. It’s been an interesting journey. To celebrate our time together, I’ve selected some of my favorite photographs of Emily from throughout the years, and I’d like to share with you the memories I associate with them.

I may not be a good poet, but I can string words together to make sentences and convey my thoughts. Right now, those thoughts are of Emily. So this post is simply titled, “My Wife”. It’s dedicated to our first eight years, and hopefully will fan the flames for many more to come.

"Engaged"

I left Nashville for Fort Richardson, Alaska in mid-September of 2002. At that time, Emily and I had been dating for around two and half weeks. Everything was a bit uncertain. We were very much in love, but we both knew the difficulty that lay ahead of us. Three thousand miles and four time zones can make it hard to stay in touch, let alone build a relationship.

We spoke on the phone quite often. We e-mailed, wrote letters, and talked over the webcam. She even flew from Nashville to Anchorage for a long weekend. Eventually, we became more and more certain that our relationship had what it took to survive the distance. We started talking about marriage. I started shopping for rings.

I was deeply in debt when I joined the Army, and my monthly salary was a mere $2,000. I couldn't afford much in the way of a ring, but I found one in my price range at Sears, of all places. I didn't have a car, and I didn't have many friends (I was much older than the average private), but I had met a sergeant who lived down the hall, and had offered to give me a ride if I ever needed one. Well, if there was ever an occasion, this was it. I knocked on his door and asked him if I could bum a ride to Sears to pick up an engagement ring. We were off. The sergeant was Travis Stenberg, and he remains one of my best friends to this day.

In a computer database somewhere there is a record of the credit card transaction wherein I purchased Emily's engagement ring. Also on that transaction is an X-Box and Madden 2003. Sue me.

During my Christmas leave, Emily and I spent some time at her parent's house. One evening we had gone upstairs to practice some hymns (her mother likes to hear us sing). I had made a little cut-out in the back of the song book and placed the engagement ring inside. I asked her to have a look at the song inside the back cover, and she made the discovery. I followed it up with a super-cheesy proposal, which she didn't mind at all.

We spent the rest of the holiday telling all of our friends and family. When the time came for me to return to Alaska, it was a sad goodbye, but it felt so much more like a beginning than an ending.

“Wildcat”

Emily and I took a cruise for our honeymoon. In Jamaica, we went on a bike ride that was supposed to be 90% downhill. A fair description, but the 10% that was uphill was straight uphill, and the 90% downhill was almost a straight plummet into the Caribbean. We had to lay on the brakes constantly. We stopped along the way down and sampled some sugar cane that the local farmers had mixed in with their marijuana. The photograph shows Emily proudly sampling the local fare.

Emily was wearing a Kentucky Wildcats outfit that day. Across the front of the shirt, the word “Kentucky” was printed. Emblazoned across the seat of the little short shorts was the word “Wildcats”. Our bike ride was led by several Jamaican tour guides. About halfway through the ride, one of the guides pulled up alongside me. “Is that your wife?” he asked, motioning ahead to Emily. “Yes,” I replied, “why?” His answer consisted of a single word and a wry grin:

“Wildcat.”

“Emily's new hat”

Our honeymoon cruise also stopped in Cozumel, Mexico. We went ashore for a short shopping trip. I’m not a big fan of shopping in Jamaica and Cozumel – they are high-pressure tourist traps. But I seem to remember that Emily made me promise her one good shopping trip, and Cozumel was where she wanted to take it. So shopping we went.

I remember the only thing I wanted was a Dos Equis that wasn’t imported. Emily browsed around for a while, not really interested in much. We came across a store that was selling straw hats, and somehow I talked her into buying one. If you know Emily at all, you know she’s not really a hat person. But this hat looked really good on her, especially when worn with her swimsuit. So we got it.

Unfortunately, the hat was in our Jeep when I let a friend borrow it to move, and when I got the Jeep back the hat was gone. Forever. Emily refused to replace it. This picture is the only documentation in existence that at one time, Emily Arnold Davis owned and wore a straw cowboy hat and a bikini. It’s a good one.

"Dogsledding"

Emily flew from Nashville to Anchorage to visit me in October of 2002. There was already quite a bit of snow in Anchorage by then, and Emily was determined to do some "Alaskan-y" activities, to use her term. We panned for gold, visited a state park, and saw the sights around town. But there was one activity Emily was not going to be denied - dogsledding.

We found a place that would give you a short dogsled ride around a local baseball diamond. When we arrived, it became evident that most aspiring dogsledders are much younger than Emily, but that didn't deter her. I remember remarking to her how motivated the dogs seemed. In between runs, the dogs would snap and bark at each other, as if they had so much pent-up energy and competitiveness that it spilled out into violence. They couldn't wait for the next run to begin.

Emily's dogsled ride, like our visit, was far too short.

"Shooting"

When I got back from Afghanistan in August of 2004, Emily and I drove all over the South visiting family and friends. Eventually, we made it all the way to Kensett, Arkansas to visit my grandparents. At the time, they lived on a 480 +/- acre farm that was perfect for shooting.

Emily has a Browning BuckMark .22 that her father bought her. Her favorite part about it is the signature Browning gold trigger. It doesn't see much action - we don't do a lot of shooting any more. But the pistol is special to her - she's a daddy's girl. I was shooting the Glock 30 Emily bought me for my coming home present.

This is one of my favorite pictures of Emily, and the only one I have of her shooting. I think she looks absolutely fantastic in it.

“Corona”

In March of 2005, I was transferred to Fort Lewis, Washington. You can leave Alaska one of three ways – a flight, a long drive through Canada, or a ferry ride from Haines, Alaska to Bellingham, Washington. We took the ferry. I think it took us at least three days and two nights. It was a beautiful trip down along the Alaskan coast, weaving in and out of the islands. We stopped at a couple of small coastal towns, and took dozens of pictures of bald eagles and wild mountaintops.

This picture is special to me because Emily is wearing another hat that I bought for her. I think this hat looks really cute on her. I like the way the hat and her dark hair surround and accentuate her pretty face. The corona behind her head makes her look truly angelic. There we go with the cheese again.

"Making the best of it"

Emily and I lived in the Tacoma area for a little over a year. She lived with me in Anchorage for about four months (she likes to tell people that she "wintered in Alaska") until I was transferred to Lewis. We had a nice little condo just off post in a small military community. Our parents all came to visit, and we took them on the standard tour of the area - Fort Lewis, the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, etc. It was a fun experience.

I enjoyed Washington a bit more than Emily did, however. She doesn't do well in cold weather, and she missed her family terribly. In an effort to stay occupied, she bought a book on making baloon animals, and I think this was her first effort. Nice job - I think it's an insect of some type.

What touches me the most about this picture is the look on her face. She's smiling, but her eyes are a bit sad. They say, "I miss my family, but I love you so much I'm willing to make the best of it." It always makes me a sad to see how hard it was for her during that time. But it also makes me happy at the same time - a woman that will resort to making baloon animals will go to any length to build a happy marriage.

“Car Show”

Emily and I lived in Cynthiana for two years while I worked on my MBA. During this time, we took a trip to Lexington with her parents, Lem and Peggy. Lem and I went to Keeneland for the annual car show while Emily and her mother went shopping. This picture was taken on the way up there. She was sitting this way, in her Injinji toe socks that she always wears. I thought she looked sassy, so I stole a picture of her. She didn’t want to be photographed, and the next photo I took had a more reprimanding tone. But I like this one. She’s happy and playful in it, and I love it when she’s happy.

"A real fixer-upper"

In 2008, we bought the first and only house we looked at, and didn't even have our own realtor. Smart. It needed a lot of work, and I've posted in the past about how Hollywood should be ashamed at how playful and fun it makes home renovations appear. Unless you're watching "The Money Pit".

It wasn't so bad, and since we don't really ever plan to move, we don't have to worry about the mountain of money we've spent on renovations. It has been a great learning experience for both of us. Come by and see us sometime, we'd love to show you before and after pictures.

Here we are putting in a drain hose for a dehumidifier. If you have a basement, you know that humidity can be a problem. I bought a decent unit, and we rigged it up to drain into the sump so I wouldn't have to manually drain the water every day. If you are curious as to how nasty this situation really is, know that Emily is a wound and ostomy nurse. She deals in human waste all day, and it takes a lot to gross her out. Sumps are filthy.

This picture reminds me of one of Emily's many "get rich quick" inventions. She's constantly coming up with ideas for new products that will "make us millions". In this case, she was heartbroken to find that someone had already invented deodorizing tablets for basement sumps. That hasn't stopped her from brainstorming, though. She's an idea machine. A cute, sweet, endearing idea machine.

"Holden Beach"

Emily and I went to Holden Beach with our respective in-laws in October of 2008. The water was still warm enough to swim in. One morning we made it a point to get up early and see the sunrise. We took a walk along the beach, as millions of couples before us must have done, and so will millions after we are gone.

However common the act might have been, the fact that I was with Emily made it unique to me, and that's really all that matters.

Here she is in a picture that she no doubt hates - she's in her pajamas, with no make-up or hair treatment whatsoever, holding up her pajama legs so they don't get wet in the ocean. But I love this picture for all the same reasons she hates it. This is my Emily. Not the one the world gets to see, but the one only I'm privileged to live with.

“Derby Mini”

Emily and her college friends decided to run a mini-marathon together. If there’s one thing about Emily of which I am certain, it’s that she is an immensely capable woman. She is highly economical in her efforts, and when she determines that a course of action is worthwhile, she executes efficiently and tenaciously.

She ran cross-country in college, but to this date in our entire marriage she nhad ever run a single step. This may have given a less determined woman pause, but Emily came up with a plan to train and started executing. She started eating right, running, and exercising. And when the date of the mini came around, she was as prepared as she could possibly have been.

This picture was taken in the car on the way to Louisville, where the Derby Mini-Marathon was held. We got stuck in an enormous traffic jam. Emily was playing on her iPhone, and she’s wearing a cute little New Belgium hoodie that I bought her. The only grin bigger than this one was the one I was wearing when she finished.

"My girls"

Until Hank arrived, our dog Scout was Emily's pride and joy. Even now she ranks a close second behind our son. Kittylicious has become somewhat of a transient - she eats and sleeps here, but during the day she does her own thing. Both animals absolutely adore Emily, though.

Emily's interactions with Scout were such brilliant indicators of the tenderhearted, caring mother she would one day become. She is eternally forgiving, loves unconditionally, and is wholeheartedly compassionate. Scout sleeps with Emily and never leaves her side.

This picture was taken after we had returned from a week-long trip to the beach. We left Scout at home with Larry, who was kind enough to dog-sit for us. Apparently, there is no substitute for mommy.

I'm starting to see this behavior in Hank now. When he gets hungry, he will take a bottle from me as long as mommy isn't available. If she walks by and he catches sight of her, he starts trying to sit up so that he can see her. If she leaves the room, he gets upset. Nobody can put Hank to bed like Mommy. She sings to him, and he puts his little hand on her mouth as if to feel the source of those beautiful sounds. I'm sure he drifts off to sleep thinking about what a good mommy he has.

"Our first family night"

This is another photograph that will probably get me in trouble. But I love it. This is Hank's first night with mom and dad in the hospital. You can read my version of the birth story here. He was such a tiny little guy, and she just fell into motherhood so naturally. She constantly questions herself as to whether or not she's a good mom. I always tell her that Hank and I will be the judge of that, and we think she's doing great.

I love the way she looks in this photograph. Her cheeks flushed in exhaustion from the effort of a long night in the delivery room, followed by a steady stream of visitors throughout the day. The look of love in her eyes as she cradles little helpless Hank. She's the mother of my precious little son. That puts her pretty near the top of my list of the greatest people ever to walk the earth.

That's it. I hope you've enjoyed this little jaunt.

Emily - It's been eight wonderful years. I was a jumbled, mixed-up, emotional wreck of a person before you came along, and that's exactly what I'd still be if I didn't have you. I depend on you more than you will ever know. More than I even realize myself. You make me want to be a better husband, father, and Christian. Thanks for every second we've spent in each other's lives. It's been so much fun, and we are so blessed to have each other.

Love,

your Husband.

Mind the details

2011-08-09T20:00:00.001-04:00

Emily gets all the credit for me blogging - she thinks I’m a good writer, and since she's never wrong, I thought I'd use what talent God has given me to share my experiences in fatherhood with the entire world. If that's not a non-sequitur, I don't know what is.

Looking back on the day of Hank's birth, I often find myself wishing that I had made more of an effort to relish the experience. Despite my best efforts, I feel as though I failed to appreciate that time as fully as I could have. Perhaps this feeling is inevitable. But I’ve always been guilty of looking to the future at the expense of the present; of focusing on the destination at the expense of the journey. It takes a conscious effort on my part to slow down and notice my surroundings every now and then.

Hank has a way of knocking us out of our rhythym. We find ourselves constantly looking for Hank to fall into a routine; and whenever we think we have the next hand figured out, he has a way of re-shuffling the deck. It's good in a way - every day is different. Difficult, but different.

The fact that I actually wanted a son helps tremendously. A man puts forth his best effort when he's interested in the job at hand, and I am definitely interested in being a father. Because I’m enjoying fatherhood so much, and because Hank is constantly changing things up, I feel like I notice more of the subtle changes in his appearance and behavior, and every time I do, I’m reminded to slow down and enjoy the ride, because this is one journey Hank and I will never be able to repeat.

Time Flies

2011-07-05T20:52:00.000-04:00

Russ here. It's been interesting to watch Hank develop. He's closing in on six months old, now. He is much more aware - he follows noises with his head, he recognizes people from greater distances, and he displays evidence of memory and training. His personality is coming through more and more.

For example, I could tell he was obviously watching the fireworks explode in the sky. I know that doesn't sound like such a big deal, but it's more than he could do four months ago. We played cornhole last night at Brian and Amanda Langland's house (much fun), and I could tell that he was following the bags as they flew across the yard. It made it very difficult to feed him a bottle while his head was on a swivel.

Watching fireworks with Mom

He grins at me from across the room when someone else is holding him. I'm able to get his attention, make one of my go-to funny faces or noises, and he flashes that big gorgeous grin at me. At church and in new places, he opens his big eyes wide as he absorbs every little detail that surrounds him. Things that I observed long ago and now take for granted, like nails in the back of the old wooden pews, or the spinning blades of a ceiling fan. He reminds me of an astronaut that has landed on an alien planet and has only just stepped out the door of his spaceship. He appears to scrutinize everything, and he doesn't want to miss anything. He prefers to face out and have a wide field of view of his environment.

Watching the iPhone with Dad

He has learned his first "trick". A while ago I discovered that when he wakes up in the middle of the night, inconsolably hungry and screaming at the top of his lungs, I could pacify him somewhat by patting him gently on the mouth with my fingers, making his voice modulate. He found this slightly amusing for about ten seconds, then remembered that he was hungry and resumed his wailing, angrier than before at the attempt to placate him. Now, even when he is silent, if I gently pat him on the mouth, he starts making sounds so that he can hear his voice modulate. He doesn't scream - in fact, he makes the most gentle, soft little "coos". It's adorable. He grabs my thumb and pinky with his hands as if to feel the machinery behind those strange sounds coming from his mouth.

He and I often spend quality time just talking. We don't understand each other, but we have some fun exchanges. When I talk to him, I often see him watching my mouth as I form the words. It's fascinating to watch him learn. So sometimes I slow down my speech, and make rudimentary sounds (mainly, "da-da") so that he can more easily observe where the sounds come from.

He recognizes the bottle now, and even reaches for it. He's able to grasp things and put them in his mouth now. He's also able to roll over, and he uses it as his only means of locomotion. When I put him on the floor of his room to play, he watches me leave, begins to cry, and will sometimes roll towards the door. He rolls all over the room - we've found him in some pretty funny locations. I need to put a camera in his room so we can see how he is able to maneuver into some of the places we find him.

I don't know how he winds up here...

Apparently, neither does he.

Anyway, he's a fascinating little guy. I have a feeling he will only grow to be more so.

Baby Food

2011-06-15T17:37:00.000-04:00

Soon after Hank turned 4 months old, I started him on rice cereal. (I blogged about this a few weeks ago.) He seemed to like it and tolerate it well. So last week, after a few weeks of only cereal and learning to eat from a spoon, we started Hank on baby food. Before I made the transition, I found out about a series of classes at Central Baptist called "First Spoonfuls" that teaches you about adding solid food to your baby's diet. One of my friends, who is a registered dietician, teaches the class. I knew that we would see demonstrations of how to make your own baby food, but I thought that there was NO WAY that I was going to do that. I'm not that domestic. I mean, I don't like to cook for myself, much less go to the extra work of making my own baby food! But once I got to the class, the instructor made it look so easy that I figured I should "give it a go." And so far, it has been pretty easy, but I have started out very simple. The first food that I gave Hank was bananas because all I had to do was mash a banana up with a fork and add breast milk. Since then I have made apples, pears, carrots, and mangoes. The apples, pears, and carrots took a little more effort because I had to peel, chop, and cook them prior to putting them through the food processor. I got some little containers from Babies R' Us and some ice cube trays from the grocery so that I can freeze and store my homemade baby food. I haven't spent a whole lot of money so far on storage since I'm not sure how long this phase of making my own baby food will last. But it does make me feel good that I know exactly what Hank is eating and that it doesn't have any preservatives in it. Frozen, homemade baby food can stay in the freezer for up to 3 months.

I also got a book from Barnes and Noble called "Top 100 Baby Purees" by Annabel Karmel. It has some good ideas and recipes in it. I never thought about adding ingredients like cinnamon, parsley, onion, or garlic to baby food, but I bet that it makes it taste a lot better. In fact, some of the recipes sound so good, I think that I might even eat them myself! The other night, Russ was going to make us some mango smoothies. I told him to let me look in my baby food puree book and see what tastes good mixed with mango. The book suggested that strawberries combined well with mango so Russ added some strawberries in the blender with the mango. And let me tell you, a mango/strawberry smoothie is delicious! So if this homemade baby food thing doesn't work out, at least I got a good smoothie recipe out of it!

By the way, if you live in the Lexington area and are interested in taking the classes at Central Baptist, here is the link to the website:

http://www.centralbap.com/Left+Navigation/Community+Classes/First+Spoonfuls

The classes are free! You can't beat that deal!

And here are some pictures of the foods that I have made so far along with a picture of the book that I bought:

Little Boy in Blue

2011-06-15T00:35:00.000-04:00

Over three years ago, when my sister found out that she was pregnant with her second child, she was sure that she was having another boy. I happened to be in the Dollar Store shortly after she told me that she was pregnant again and I came across this cute little outfit for six dollars. I loved the turquoise color! (I think that babies look so cute in bright colors.) Well, come to find out, my sister was expecting a little girl! My niece, Sallie Kate, is a doll and I am so glad that she is part of our lives, but I was left with this little blue outfit hanging in my closet. I guess that I was too embarrassed to give it away to anyone other than family since it came from the Dollar Store. Little did I know when I bought this outfit that over three and a half years later, I would be putting it on my own son. I'm glad that I saved it because it looks good on him if I do say so myself! Here are some pictures of my cutie pie wearing my Dollar Store find:

Of course, Scout always has to get in on the action. She loves to give Hank kisses. I guess that there is something about a baby's scent that dogs love, too!

Kicking Like Crazy

2011-06-15T00:21:00.000-04:00

Hank always has a great time kicking and splashing in the bathtub. He kicked a little too aggressively one night and managed to kick his left leg completely out of the tub. He wasn't so sure what to do once he got himself into this situation. Luckily, daddy was nearby and able to rescue him quickly.

Stand Up, Stand Up Little Hank

2011-06-15T00:17:00.000-04:00

Hank loves to practice standing up. He has been trying to stand since he was only a couple months old. Russ makes it a game and says, "One...Two...Three...Stand Up!" Hank holds on tight to Russ' fingers as he helps him to stand. Hank always gets this look of anticipation/excitement on his face as Russ starts to count.

Getting ready to practice standing

"One...Two...Three..."

"I did it, Mommy!"

"He we go again. I can't wait!"

Holding tight to daddy's thumbs

I had to include this picture because his little booty looks so cute in these pajamas that grandmama bought him. He is starting to look more like a little boy and less like a baby. I didn't think that would happen until he was at least one! He is growing up too fast!

Bucking Bronco

2011-06-14T23:47:00.000-04:00

I don't know why I thought that it was a good idea to give my almost 5-month old a ride on my shoulders....especially since he has really been practicing grasping things lately! It may have been a better idea for Russ to try this instead since he is bald. Russ says that Hank's expressions make it look like he is riding a bucking bronco. (The third picture down really shows this the best.) These are terrible pictures of me, but they are so funny of Hank that I had to forgo my vanity and post them anyway. Enjoy!

Hank is proud that he held on longer than 8 seconds!

Swimming in the Pool - Take 2

2011-06-14T23:39:00.000-04:00

After Hank's first experience with the pool, I wasn't sure how it was going to go for the rest of the summer. However, after the water warmed up, Hank has been enjoying the pool with mom and dad. He can usually only take about 30 minutes at a time and it completely wears him out! He immediately goes down for a 1-2 hour nap after we get him out of the pool and dried off. I have included a ton of pictures because it was hard to pick my favorites and I want to remember all of his little facial expressions.

Dog Gone Cute!

2011-06-01T23:57:00.000-04:00

Aunt Allie got this outfit for Hank soon after we found out that we were having a boy. When Hank was born, he was so tiny that I thought it would take forever for him to fit into some of the cute summer clothes that he had gotten. I thought that he looked so cute today so I had to take his picture. This outfit lasted about half of the day until Hank had the biggest diaper blowout known to man! I took pictures of that, too, but I figured that I would spare you and also let Hank keep a little of his dignity!

Rice Cereal

2011-06-01T23:33:00.000-04:00

We have started Hank on rice cereal. He seems to like it so far, but hasn't quite mastered eating from a spoon. I think more cereal ends up on his face and bib than in his mouth! I am only giving him about a tablespoon of cereal each day and he gets a little better at swallowing from a spoon with each try. Here are some of my favorite pictures from his feeding on Monday:

"I'm ready for another bite."

Mommy's little bird

"This cereal is pretty tasty! Why haven't I tried it before now?"

"Oh. The cereal is supposed to stay IN your mouth. Gotcha."

"I think my eyes are bigger than my stomach!"

"Maybe if I suck on my fingers while mommy feeds me then the cereal will go down easier."

One last bite.....

"Now that I have a full belly, I think that I'm ready for a nap."

First Dip in the Big Pool

2011-06-01T17:07:00.001-04:00

After trying out his baby pool, Hank took his first dip in the big pool with Daddy's help. I think that the water was a little cool for Hank's taste. I had to post these pictures because his facial expressions are priceless! He didn't cry even though he didn't care for the cooler water. He's a tough little guy! It looks like he has enough fat on him to insulate him pretty well. Hopefully, as the water warms up throughout the summer, Hank will tolerate more time in the big pool.

Pre-dip in the big pool

"This water is cold. What is daddy doing to me?"

"Get me out of this cold water, Daddy!"

"Thank goodness I survived! Mommy, get my warm towel ready."

Baby Pool

2011-06-01T15:32:00.000-04:00

Hank loves bath time so I was sure that he would love relaxing in the pool. I found this cute baby pool at Wal-Mart this past weekend. It looked perfect for our little guy so we blew it up, filled it with warm water, and added a rolled up towel for neck support. Hank wasn't as thrilled with it as I thought he would be, but I have included a few of my favorite pictures anyway.

Daddy and Hank chatting in their respective swimming pools.

My boys

Trying to get comfortable

Hank seemed to like being wrapped up in the warm towel.

Sitting up with a little help from dad.

I had to include a picture of the warning on the side of the baby pool because I thought that it was so funny. I must first note that the pool only holds 2-4 inches of water. My two favorite warnings are: 1) NO diving and 2) Pool fencing laws may affect this product, please contact your local council for further information.

I can't imagine going to Home Depot to buy fencing materials for this little pool! Good thing that our backyard is already fenced in! Ha! Ha!

On May 31st, 2010.....

2011-06-01T08:17:00.000-04:00

I found out that I was pregnant. I was shocked!

Here's the complete story:

In 2010, Russ and I were coming up on our 7th wedding anniversary. We'd had plenty of time together as a couple so we had planned to start "trying" for a baby in June 2010. I had an OB appointment in April 2010 and I had even used an ovulation kit that month to make sure that everything was working as it should. I was going to be very scientific and planned about the whole getting pregnant process.

Russ and I had a big trip to St. Lucia planned at the end of April 2010 so that we could attend one of my best friend's destination weddings. I am not really a calendar keeper, but I remember being frustrated that my "monthly visitor" came while we were on vacation.

Fast forward to May 2010. May 31st was Memorial Day and Russ and I were having a mostly lazy day around the house. I noticed that my "monthly visitor" had not come yet, but I wasn't worried because I wasn't that late. I happened to have three of the "First Response" pregnancy tests in the bathroom vanity drawer since we were going to start trying for a baby the next month. The tests said that they expired in May 2010. Who knew pregnancy tests had an expiration date? I think it's a conspiracy so that the pregnancy test makers can make more money! So I took one of the tests. I waited the appropriate amount of time and looked at the lines. There was one barely visable line and one really dark line. Russ said, "That means you're not pregnant." But when I matched my pregnancy test to the one on the box, it looked as if the control line on my test was the faint line and that it was the pregnant line that was really dark. I took the second test out of the box and had the exact same results. I thought that maybe there was a manufacturing problem and the screens had been flipped in the box of pregnancy tests that I had purchased. Russ kept insisting that there was really only one line and that it didn't matter where it was on the screen so it meant that I was NOT pregnant. I told him that I wasn't so sure that was the case. Finally Russ said, "Are there some tests that you can buy that say PREGNANT or NOT PREGNANT?" I told him there were. Since we had some other errands to run, we headed straight to Wal-Mart. While I was in Wal-Mart, I was so confident that I wasn't pregnant that I bought an ovulation kit along with some more "First Response" pregnancy tests. I knew that I would need the ovulation kit to use during the month of June while we were trying to get pregnant. And I did buy the pregnancy tests that said either "Yes +" or "No -". On the way home, Russ and I decided that I would take one of the new pregnancy tests the first thing the next morning because the instructions said that the tests are more accurate in the morning as there is a higher level of pregnancy hormone in the urine at that time.

Once home, I was watching a movie upstairs in our bedroom and Russ was watching a movie in the family room downstairs. We have very different tastes in movies so it just works out better that way. I don't have to watch Russ' violent movies and he doesn't have to watch my romantic comedies! My movie ended a little before Russ' and I just couldn't wait anymore. I was too anxious to try another pregnancy test. I took the test and laid it on the bathroom sink. I wasn't going to say anything to Russ until I had the results. The instructions for the test said to wait 2 minutes until reading the results. I thought Russ was still watching his movie. But as soon as I laid back down on the bed to wait for the results, Russ poked his head through the bedroom door and asked what I was doing. I replied, "Nothing." But Russ immediately knew something was up and said, "You took that pregnancy test, didn't you?" I said, "Yes, but don't look at it. The instructions say to wait 2 minutes." Of course, Russ walked immediately over to the pregnancy test. He said, " It says 'Yes Plus.' What does that mean?" I exclaimed, "You are kidding me!" I thought for sure he was joking. It had only been about 30 seconds since I had taken the test. But sure enough, there was a big "YES +" right on the screen. I said, "I guess that means that I'm pregnant." I wanted to cry out of anxiety! Russ was mad because he didn't get his "month of trying" to get pregnant. Russ ran to get the camera so that we could have pictures of this momentous occasion.

In this picture, I am feigning a smile despite my anxiety.

Russ forced me to give a "thumbs up" for the second picture.

Since I had one of the pregnancy tests left that would reveal one or two lines, I told Russ that he should take it because I wanted to know if they were defective. He didn't really want to. He said, "Can't you just dip it in water?" I convinced him that it would be funnier if he took the test. So, after a little more coercing, he complied. Of course, the test Russ took only showed one line. It was the control line and it was very dark. We decided that I must have had so much pregnancy hormone in my system that on the intial two tests that I took, the pregnant line must have usurped all of the pink from the control line! A few weeks later, when I told my best friends from college that I was pregnant, one of them confirmed that it is possible for the control line to have the pink usurped from it! Who knew? Of course, I had to take a picture of Russ with his pregnancy test, too!

Since Russ' test was negative, I made him give the "thumbs down" sign!

So, here we are 1 year later with a healthy & growing 4.5 month-old boy! What a difference a year makes!

Big eyes!

Sweet smile at bath time

4-months old

2011-05-21T23:10:00.000-04:00

Hank turned 4-months old this past Monday, May 16th. On Wednesday, he had his 4-month doctor's appointment and shots. Here are his stats:

Height: 24 1/2" (60th percentile) - He has grown 1 1/2 inches since his last appointment.
Weight: 14 pounds 13 ounces (75th percentile) - He has gained 3 pounds 4.5 ounces.
Head Circumference: 43 cm (92nd percentile) - His head has grown 2 1/2 cm.

He is definitely a growing boy....especially his head! Maybe that means that he has a big brain! He did pretty well with his shots. He is somewhat of a fussy baby so it was hard to tell how bad he really felt the night of his doctor's appointment. I gave him a few doses of Tylenol over the course of the 1st 24 hours just to make sure that he wasn't hurting. He never had a fever.

Here is what Hank is up to these days:

Hank has rolled over once, but I missed it. We were in Tennessee and my mother-in-law was watching him while I was taking a shower. We have been working on rolling over, but he has yet to do it again all by himself. It only takes a little help from me to get him all the way over so I don't think that it will be long.

Hank smiles a lot...especially in the morning. He loves his Baby Einstein play gym and that will sometimes keep him entertained for 30 minutes to an hour.

His favorite song is "If You're Happy and You Know It."

He has strong legs and likes to practice standing up on your lap.

He genuinely laughed out loud for the first time today. It happened while his daddy was playing with him and helping him to stand.

He has really started "talking" and cooing a lot over the past few weeks.

He loves his swing and still sleeps in it at night. We are trying to transition him to his bed, though. He does take some of his naps in his bed. I hear that you need sleep habits determined by the time that the baby is 6 months old. Otherwise, it will be hard to break those habits later. Right now, Hank is asleep in his bed. We'll see how long that lasts tonight. The longest that he goes without waking is usually a 6-hour stretch at nighttime. For the most part, he eats every 3 hours. I guess that his good growth is evidence of that!

Hank is still drinking primarily breast milk from a bottle. Occasionally we have to supplement with a little formula, but so far that has been rare. Hank did get his first taste of apple juice this week to help a small issue with constipation. He drank it right down and it worked like a charm.

When I was in nursing school, I had a clinical rotation at a pediatrician's office. One thing I learned in that office was that older mom's in their 30's tended to be worriers while teen moms didn't seem to worry at all...probably because they weren't smart enough to know what to worry about. I got a good chuckle because I wasn't going to be either one. Unfortunately, that has come back to bite me because I have been the biggest worry wart since Hank was conceived. While I was pregnant, I worried about him so much that I couldn't wait until he was born so that I wouldn't have sole responsibility for keeping him alive. Now that he is here, I worry about him even more. Is he hitting his milestones? Is he gaining enough weight? Is he eating enough? Is he pooping enough? For the first few weeks of his life, I would go to bed and just thank God that we kept him alive another day. And I must admit that I still occasionally have those thoughts. I guess that every first-time parent goes through these same feelings. I hear that you get a lot more relaxed with the 2nd child. But Hank's pediatrician reassured me that he is perfect in every way....just what a jittery new mom needed to hear.

I had another moment of clarity this week as well. I worked this past Monday and Tuesday at my hospital while my mom babysat for Hank. Since I only work a couple of days a month, I get stopped a lot while I am working and other nurses ask how Hank is doing and want to see pictures. One kind nurse, who I hear has struggled with infertility, asked to see pictures. When she was looking at the pictures, she told me how cute Hank was and said in a very sweet way, "I'm jealous." I don't know why that struck a chord with me, but in that moment a wave of thankfulness came over me. Being a parent is harder than I ever imagined, but I am so thankful that God blessed us with a beautiful, healthy, loving baby boy and I wouldn't trade my life now for the world.

I don't know what has me acting so sappy tonight. I'm not usually that open with my emotions, but I guess that I have had a lot on my mind.

I will leave you with some of my favorite pictures of Hank from this past month:

Loving his Baby Einstenin Play Gym

Little smirk

"Maybe I will try this rolling over thing...."

4-month photo shoot

He looks like he is directing a band or a choir in this picture.

"I'm already 4-months old? It feels like I just got here."

Small, sweet smile

Talking with dad. I think he's pretty funny.

"My daddy is a good listener."

My favorite boys.

Being entertained in the bouncy seat while mommy gets ready for the day.

I love the toys on my bouncy seat!

Well, I hear Hank starting to fuss. I better go and rescue him.....

Mother's Day and First Road Trip

2011-05-21T06:38:00.000-04:00

I was so excited for my first Mother's Day. I was counting on Russ pampering me all day! Unfortunately, a few weeks before Mother's Day, we found out that Russ was going to have to go to Denmark for work. His flight was scheduled to leave the day before Mother's Day. I was pretty disappointed.

So I decided that to make Mother's Day special, Hank and I would take our first road trip to Tennessee to visit our relatives. My mother-in-law and father-in-law live in Lexington, TN so we were driving from Lexington to Lexington! Hank's great grandparents, Dee Dee and Grandaddy Pierce also live in Lexington, Tennesse so we got to visit them as well. I was very nervous about making the long drive all by myself. I also took our 50 pound dog, Scout, with me. I was so worried that Hank would have a meltdown right in the middle of 5 lanes of traffic in Nashville. The plan was to drop Russ off at Bluegrass Airport and then head straight to the in-laws. Hank was fussy on the way to the airport and I started to wonder what I had gotten myself into. However, once we arrived at the airport, I got him out of his carseat to say goodbye to his daddy. After I put him back in his carseat, he calmed down and went to sleep....and he slept the whole trip to Lexington! It only took us 4.5 hours to get there because as long as Hank was sleeping, then I wasn't stopping. I had just enough gas to get to their house. I was so thankful to God that our trip went well! I know that He was watching over us!

On the way back, Hank was a little fussier and we did have to stop once for a bathroom break for Scout and me and a feeding for Hank. I also decided to get gas during our stop. Another customer accidentally pre-paid on my pump because she didn't know what gas pump she parked at. How do you not pay attention to that? Luckily, I had cash to give the attendant since I had already pumped the gas that the other lady had paid for. So that fiasco didn't end up delaying us too much. I also went through the Wendy's drive through to get myself something to eat on the road. I got all of those things done in 30 minutes and was pretty proud of myself! So we made it back home in 5 hours.

We had a great time in Tennessee! My brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Nathan and Meridy Kizer, also came to visit for Mother's Day. They have an 11-month-old little boy named Denver. There is only 7 months age difference between our little guys and I am sure that they will have so much fun playing together once they get bigger. I can't believe that Denver will be a year old next month. It seems like only yesterday that we were getting the call that he was born!

We stayed busy all week. On Sunday, we went to church and for a Mother's Day lunch at Pin Oak Lodge. On Sunday night, we went back to church as the men of the church had a dessert cook-off for the ladies. It was delicious! On Monday, we went shopping in Jackson after we dropped Grandaddy Pierce off at the eye doctor. On Tuesday, Hank's other great grandmother, MeMe, came to visit from Arkansas. On Tuesday night, we went to a Survivor's Dinner with Nonnie as part of "Relay for Life." Nonnie has been cancer free for 7 years now and that makes us so happy! On Wednesday, we went shopping in town and met lots of Nonnie and Daddy Nelson's friends. After a busy week, we rested on Thursday so that we would have enough energy to make the long trip back home on Friday.

We had so much fun during our visit! We always get spoiled and it makes it hard to come back to reality. Here are a few pictures from our trip:

Mother's Day at Pin Oak Lodge

Front Row: Hank and Daddy Nelson

Back Row: Nonnie, Me, Denver, Meridy, Nathan, Dee Dee, Grandaddy Pierce

We took two group pictures and I couldn't decide which one was better so I posted both of them!

I love all of the bright colors in this picture!

Nonnie and Hank at Pin Oak Lodge

This was Nonnie's first Mother's Day as a grandmother since both Denver and Hank were born after last Mother's Day!

Daddy Nelson entertains Hank at the Survivor's Dinner.

MeMe and Hank

Denver with the dogs

Sissy is outside.

Scout and Baylor are inside wanting out.

Denver just started walking a few weeks ago.

I am sure that it will seem like no time before Hank is joining him!

I would be remiss if I didn't give one last "Thank You" to Nonnie and Daddy Nelson for a great trip! We had a wonderful time. We can't wait to come back this summer when Russ can come with us!

Hank is trying to roll over...

2011-04-27T21:13:00.002-04:00

Hank's First Easter

2011-04-25T21:53:00.000-04:00

Mom and Hank.

Great smiles.

She loves her little man.

Get used to this, buddy.

My favorite people.

He's got his father's glare.

Daddy and his bud.

Cousin Wendy

Cousin Betsy.

2-month old MD appointment

2011-03-31T21:21:00.001-04:00

Hank had his 2-month old doctor's appointment yesterday. It was about 2 weeks late, but that was the first appointment that we could get with the particular pediatrician that we wanted to see. There are 11 pediatricians in the practice that we go to and I wanted to be sure and see the one that evaluated Hank during his first week of life. She is a great and reassuring doctor, which is very important for a new mom!

Here are Hank's stats:

Weight: 11 pounds 8.5 ounces (51st percentile)

Height: 23 inches long (58th percentile)

Head Circumference: 40.5 cm (79th percentile)

Despite being little when he was born, Hank has caught up beautifully! The doctor told me that they run about 20 tests on newborns in the hospital. She said that the results come in between the 2 week and 2 month appointments. She said that all of Hank's test results were normal. He is a healthy and growing boy!

Hank did have to get 3 shots and 1 oral vaccine at his doctor's appointment yesterday. He was so happy and smiling at the doctor's office so it made me really sad when he got his shots. He cried a few big tears, but as soon as we got in the car, he fell fast asleep. He seems to be feeling good today and it's a relief to have those old shots over with for a couple of months.

As far as development is concerned, Hank has been smiling more and more lately. No matter how tired I am, his little smile can always melt my heart. His neck muscles are getting stronger and he likes to try and look around when we are holding him. He also turns his head to follow mommy and daddy's voice. He has rolled up to his side a couple of times, but he hasn't rolled over yet. He still sleeps in his swing. I have tried getting him to take naps in his bed, but I guess that he still likes to feel cuddled in the swing. He usually wakes up about every 3 hours to eat......even at night. A couple of nights ago, he did sleep from 12:30 until 5:30 a.m. and that felt awesome. I felt like Super Woman the next day! But last night, he was back to his every 3 hour routine. Maybe that had something to do with his shots yesterday. I guess that we'll see tonight......

I will leave you with a few of Hank's latest pictures:

After I put my photo book together, I realized that I didn't have many pictures of Hank and Grandmama. This picture was taken at my nephew's 6th birthday party last night. Grandmama just had cataract surgery on both eyes over the last 2 weeks. After wearing glasses for 65 years, she now just has to wear reading glasses. We are so thankful that she had successful surgeries! Praise God!

My sister took this picture of Hank a couple of weeks ago. This is the only picture where Hank looks like me in my baby pictures. I love it!

This picture was taken while Russ was holding Hank as I was getting his bath ready earlier this week. He loves looking around to see what's going on. I love his sweet, little face!

2-months old (+ 1 day)

2011-03-31T20:28:00.001-04:00

Time got away from me and I didn't get an official 2 month-old picture taken of Hank. Luckily, St. Patrick's Day was the day after Hank turned 2 months old so I took a couple of pictures of him in his St. Patrick's Day outfit. The outfit seemed to fit him better at the beginning of the day. By nighttime, the legs looked like high waters. He is growing so fast!

Bath Time Revisited

2011-03-30T06:48:00.000-04:00

Hank loves bathtime so much, it's tough not to post videos of it.

Hank's 1st photo book

2011-03-25T14:25:00.002-04:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Pig Roast

2011-03-20T13:42:00.000-04:00

This weekend, Chris and Mandy came to visit, and I thought it would be fun to roast a pig. So, I took Friday off and built a BBQ pit out of cinderblocks from some plans I found online. Here's how it went:

This is the site in the backyard.

The first thing I did was turn over the dirt with the tiller, then rake away all the bamboo roots and branches and level the dirt as much as possible. Then I added the weed block just because I had it on hand.

Then I made a border out of left over pavers I had lying around. Then I filled it in with river rock that we had left over from landscaping the pool two years ago. I figured the rock would be better to walk on than mud, and would make it easier to level the blocks.

At this point, I have laid two levels of block. I got them reasonably square and level. I'm only going up four levels, so it's not that critical. I left openings in the front and back for venting and adding fuel.

After the first two levels are put down, it's time for the expanded metal grill. I intentionally left it short on the ends so that I could add fuel from the top if I needed to.

With the grill in place, I can add the top two levels. This was the easiest part.

Now I've added the 14GA steel sheets for the lid, and I'm installing grill thermometers. I used a speed square and a straight edge to find the middle of the sheet. Then I drilled a 3/8" hole and installed the thermometer.

Grill thermometers installed.

The finished product before I trimmed the excess weed block.

Saturday morning - the fires are lit, and we're prepping the pig. I built this patio table last year for just this purpose.

The pig, looking up at me accusingly. She weighed in at 75 pounds.

This is the work area. We burned maple all day in the firepit so that we would have hardwood charcoal on hand to boost the temperature if we needed to. Plus it was a bit chilly.

Here is the pig in the pit, rubbed down with olive oil and a secret rub a friend gave me. I forgot to put the drip pans in before I lit the fire, so I just put them either side of the pig and filled them with PBR. I don't know if it made a difference or not.

We got the pig on the grill just before 9AM and pulled it off just before 7PM. What I found was, unlike steel smokers, the challenge is to keep this grill hot enough, as opposed to keeping it cool enough. With this pit, when you open vents, you get the fire hotter, but you also let out heat. So regulating tempurature a total guessing game. We had oven thermometers on each end of the grill, and one on the pig's back. The first hour we ran a bit hot - probably around 350. Once we figured out the trick, we managed to keep an average temperature of around 275 for the rest of the day, plus or minus 25 degrees, with a respectable amount of temperature swing considering the equipment and our lack of experience with it. A bit hot - and the hams turned out a bit dry, but overall it was a resounding success. If you can regulate temperature on a cinderblock pit, you can dominate using a nice steel smoker.

This is all that was left. I bagged five one-gallon bags of leftovers, and sent the hams home with Chris. It was awesome to just pick meat directly off the pig on the grill. Delicious.

Watching TV

2011-03-17T22:29:00.000-04:00

Professional Pictures

2011-03-12T23:26:00.000-05:00

Our friend Amanda Langlands is a great photographer. She recently took some pictures of Hank for us - here are some of my favorites.

A little mischief.

Extreme Close-up

Sweet little face.

Touching Mom's face. I love this picture.

All of the pictures were so good, it was hard to choose favorites. Thanks, Amanda!

Smokin' and Jokin'

2011-03-08T08:12:00.000-05:00

Our good friends Melanie and Ben Bowzer came over Friday night for some QT. It was fairly warm, so we made a fire in the fire pit. Ben and I smoked pipes and drank scotch whisky while the ladies chatted about whatever it is they chat about. Hopefully about what bathroom cleaners and laundry detergents work the best. I'm joking, of course. I learned a valuable lesson this morning - cleaning up after myself is far more important now that Emily is staying home. I don't do anything different than I did when we both worked, but because she is at home now, when I leave dishes in the sink instead of putting them in the dishwasher, it gives the impression that I expect her to clean up after me. Not the case - I'm just being lazy. Well, it's time to step it up a notch. Point taken.

Relaxing by the fire

Emily bundled up Hank so he could join us by the fire.

Sunday

2011-03-08T08:03:00.000-05:00

Every Sunday we travel to Cynthiana for church and lunch with Emily's parents. Emily's sister attends a different church, and we don't normally see them, but since Hank has arrived, they've been coming to lunch with us more often. Our niece and nephew love to see "baby Hank". This Sunday, Kentucky played Tennessee in basketball, and my mother-in-law is a big UK fan, so we ordered pizza and watched the game.

Hank and Aunt Allie

Hank and Sallie Kate

Hank and Weston

Hank and Granddaddy

Asleep in the Moby

2011-03-08T07:57:00.000-05:00

All that's missing is the drool...

Mommy's Birthday

2011-03-08T07:54:00.000-05:00

Thursday March 3rd was Emily's birthday - happy number ##! I don't think she's really self-conscious about her age, but I thought I'd rather be safe than sorry. She wanted an ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins with chocolate cake and cookies and cream ice cream, so that's what she got.

She enjoyed every piece of it. I took off work on Friday so that I could stay up with Hank on Thursday night, and Emily got some much-needed sleep. Hank has his good nights and bad nights. The most he's slept is about four and a half hours in a row. He usually eats at around 11, then 2AM, then around 6 or so if we're lucky. He's eating a lot and growing very quickly.

Moby Wrap

2011-03-08T06:26:00.000-05:00

After Hank was born, I bought a Baby Bjorn carrier so that I could more easily go on walks with Hank and Scout. The Baby Bjorn is a great carrier, but the baby has to be 8 pounds in order to use it so it took us until Hank was 6 weeks old for him to be big enough to fit into it. I didn't intend to buy another carrier, but Russ and I went to a store called "Mother Nuture" the other day and we tried a Moby Wrap. Hank loved it! He especially loves being able to face forward while riding in this carrier. The Moby Wrap is essentially one long piece of material that you wrap in a special way around your body so that it will hold the baby against you. The material is knit so that it is really comfortable to wear. Russ loves this carrier, too!

By the way, "Mother Nuture" has a baby scale so I like to go to this store to weigh Hank every couple of weeks. He weighed 9 pounds and 0.5 ounces last Friday. We were so excited! He is a growing boy! His newborn size clothes are starting to get tight on him.

Daddy's Birthday

2011-03-03T06:37:00.000-05:00

Russ had his 37th birthday on Tuesday. So on Tuesday afternoon, Hank and I made our first trip together to the grocery store. We had homemade vegetable soup and pimento cheese sandwiches for Russ' birthday dinner. For dessert, we had "break and bake" macadamia nut cookies. We wanted to get Russ an ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins for dessert, but Hank was starting to get hungry as we were leaving the grocery store so we needed to get home. Hank picked out a card for his daddy. On the inside he wanted me to write, "It's been a great 1st six weeks! I love you very much!" Russ thought that was pretty funny. I think that Hank is going to be a daddy's boy. He already looks mesmerized by his daddy in the pictures below. Isn't that a cute picture where Hank is handing his daddy his birthday card?

Russ is a great father already! I don' t see how people raise kids without a supportive spouse. Russ has been very helpful with all aspects of Hank's care. They are going to have lots of fun together in the years to come! If Hank grows up to be like his daddy, then he will be a great man!

I'm Hungry!

2011-03-02T23:00:00.000-05:00

Hank and I went for a long walk with our dog, Scout, yesterday afternoon. He was hungry when we returned from our walk, but I had to quickly run to the bathroom before I fed him. When I got back from the bathroom, Hank had figured out a way to pacify himself. He had decided to try and see if he could get any milk out of the monkey's ear on his car seat strap. Looks like we have a creative little guy on our hands!

Cuddle Time

2011-02-28T12:43:00.001-05:00

Hank loves to cuddle with his daddy. I love this picture of him. Doesn't that sweet face just melt your heart?

Play Yard

2011-02-28T12:41:00.000-05:00

In an effort to get Hank to sleep longer at night, I have been trying to keep him awake after feeding times. A couple of nights ago, I put him under his Baby Einstein Play Yard in the hope that would help to stimulate him. You can see how well it worked by looking at the pictures below. He fell fast asleep! (Note: He really does love the play yard...especially as he is able to focus more and more each day.)

Oscar Party

2011-02-28T12:36:00.000-05:00

Hank and mommy went to an Oscar party last night at a friend's house. So, naturally, Hank wore his tuxedo so that he would be ready for the red carpet!

This last picture was taken after we told Hank that it was an all girls party so he would be hanging out with women all night. He was pretty upset! He wanted to hang out with the guys!

Hank and Mommy

2011-02-28T12:25:00.000-05:00

Hank and Mommy matched last Sunday when they went to church so we had to take a couple of pictures.

Hank and Grandaddy (Emily's dad)

2011-02-28T12:22:00.000-05:00

Some people have said that Hank looks like my dad. My mom took several pictures of them together after chuch last Sunday and I guess that I can see a little resemblance. I still think that Hank looks more like Russ, but what do you think?

Hank and Nonnie (Russ' mom)

2011-02-28T12:14:00.000-05:00

Nonnie came in the middle of February to help take care of Hank while I had a follow-up doctor's appointment. She stayed for 5 days and we had a great time as usual. Here are a few pictures that I took of Hank and her before she went back to Tennessee.

One Month Old

2011-02-17T22:25:00.001-05:00

Hank turned one-month old yesterday so we attempted a photo shoot to commemorate the day. Hank's Nonnie (Russ' mom) found some shoes that actually fit him. They are size double zero. We thought that his skinny legs looked so cute with the tennis shoes on. Nonnie says that he looks like the blue M&M from the M&M commercials on T.V.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T18:46:00.000-05:00

Hank is just starting to fit into newborn sized clothes. This shirt was still a little big on him, but I think that he looks good in red! And what other time is he going to be able to wear this Valentine's Day shirt. I like to think that he is reaching for me in the 2nd picture below, but I'm pretty sure that it was just reflex! Happy Valentine's Day!

~ Emily

First Walk

2011-02-14T18:33:00.001-05:00

We have had a pretty bad winter so far with lots of snow and low temperatures. Yesterday, we got a little break from the cold as it was mild and in the 50's. So Hank, Scout, and I decided to venture out on our 1st walk together. I wasn't sure how it would go since Scout usually drags me on our walks as she tries to chase squirrels. However, we only saw a couple of squirrels on our walk so I would say that it went pretty well overall.

As we were finishing up our walk, I ran into one of our neighbors down the street who just had a little boy exactly one week after Hank was born. She was also on her first walk with her little guy and her dog. It was probably comical if someone was watching us trying to hold onto our strollers with one hand and wrangle our dogs with the other as we introduced ourselves. It's great to know that Hank may have a playmate just down the street!

~Emily

We took this picture when we returned from our walk as proof that we survived!

We still made sure that Hank was good and bundled up for his walk.

I just thought this was too cute not to post.

2011-02-10T12:24:00.000-05:00

Red wine and new fatherhood don't mix...

2011-02-07T17:01:00.002-05:00

Friday night as Emily and I sat downstairs watching television, she in the recliner and I on the loveseat holding my son and working on my second glass of wine, I had a sudden flash-forward and envisioned a gangly teenaged Hank lying on the now empty couch, relaxing with his parents.

I got a bit misty, and through a few embarrassed tears I recounted my vision to my now grinning wife, who tenderly and a bit laughingly took my hand as I vowed to add "new fatherhood" to my ever-expanding list of things you shouldn't mix with red wine - watching "Saving Private Ryan", video clips of 9-11, etc. You get the idea.

And the boy can't even smile at me yet. I'm in big trouble.

Bath time...

2011-02-04T19:05:00.004-05:00

Now that the umbilical is off, it's time for Hank's first bath!

Musings of a new father

2011-02-03T18:06:00.032-05:00

I knew I'd be a jealous father, but I didn't know how jealous until I had to share Hank with everybody on the planet. We've had a steady stream of visitors since the day he was born. My mother stayed on for two weeks after the birth, and she has our eternal gratitude. My grandmother was hot on her heels and stayed for around four days, and we had a wonderful visit. Emily's parents pop in and out more often now, and they are always welcome. Let me tell you - I'm tired of sharing. I suppose it's just one of those things that I will have to get used to as a father. But I don't have to like it.

I've only been back to work for two weeks, but I already feel like he has changed just a little bit every time I get home. I'm torn between cherishing the present and anticipating the future. I'm ready to teach him how to shoot, but I know I'll miss being able to hold him with one hand. The thing is, I prefer this anxiety to settling into the mundane. The day Hank becomes routine is the day I start missing all the little things, and I don't want that to happen. His mother might welcome a bit of routine, at least in terms of his sleeping habits. But that's understandable.

Speaking of Emily, she's taken to her new role like a champion. She is doing a fabulous job keeping the fort. And let me make this perfectly clear - the role of "homemaker", or "housewife", or "domestic engineer" is not to be trivialized. I feel like all the fancy names I just listed are ridiculous - these terms wouldn't have been coined if people didn't feel the need to condescendingly defend the responsibilities of the traditional wife. And that's what Emily is - she is my wife, my partner, and my teammate. The role she plays in our marriage is invaluable. It's been tough - she's a highly educated professional, and now she's taken what our modern society views as a politically incorrect step backward. Believe it or not, she actually got a few negative responses from people after telling them that she planned to raise our children full-time. But the most important job anyone can do is devote maximum effort to raising children. You can praise soldiers, teachers, policemen, and firemen all you want. A good parent trumps them all.

Not everyone is fortunate enough to be financially able to have someone stay at home full-time. We are grateful to God that we are. It won't be easy - we've made a few adjustments already, and I'm sure there are more painful ones one the way, but this is important enough to us to make it work.

Anyway, here's a photo of Hank for those of you only like to look at the pictures. As Frances McDormand said in "Raising Arizona", he's an angel straight from Heaven.

2011-01-25T08:34:00.001-05:00

Welcome back

2011-01-24T20:49:00.000-05:00

We're going to try to get this thing off the ground again. We've got a new baby, so the pressure is on from all parts of the country to provide constant updates, pictures, and clever stories. So here goes again, attempt #2. Or is it #3?

Hank Russell Davis was born on January 16th of this year. Emily went into labor at around 12:30 AM, and the boy was delivered at 10:50 AM. Five pounds, fifteen ounces. Here's the story. Rated PG-13.

We were in bed watching Saturday Night Live. After the weekend update, Emily started complaining of cramps, which she described as "menstrual-style". She had had her share of odd feelings - Hank was quite a kicker in the womb, and loved to jab her in the right side of her ribs. But something about this cramp was a bit different. Earlier that day, she had an unusually strong urge to "nest". This urge involved cleaning the kitchen floor on her hands and knees. So maybe in the back of our heads, both of us knew that this development might be significant. We joked a bit about how it might be the onset of labor, and I even suggested leaving immediately for the hospital.

At that point a commercial came on, and I got up to go to the restroom. On my way back, Emily exclaimed, "Uh-oh", and told me that she thought her water had broken. As she sat there in bed wondering, I gently encouraged her to get off the expensive mattress and continue her investigation in the bathroom. She did so, and decided that her water had most likely broken. By this time, I was very excited (not panicky, as some people might claim). So we both showered, packed, put the car-seat into the Jeep, and left for the hospital.

Upon arrival, we walked straight to the registration desk where a young man sat working. We told him that we were going into labor, that the water had broken, and that the contractions were two minutes apart. The polite young man instructed us to go into the waiting room; he'd be with us in a minute. Five contractions later, Emily started to get a bit impatient. We went back to the desk, a young girl was working there. It turns out, the polite young man was only covering for her lunch, and had apparently failed to inform her that we were waiting. I was trying not to be the guy who barges into the hospital as though they've never handled a pregnancy this important before, but in hindsight, I probably should have. Fortunately, Emily's contractions had freed her from any such compunction. We explained our situation with a bit more fervor to the young woman, and were promptly taken to a room.

We got settled in at around 1:30 AM. Emily was in her gown, the nurse was setting up shop, and I was hungry. So I went down to the snack shop to grab a coffee, Gatorade, water, a couple of sandwiches, and some chips. I figured I'd be the supportive husband and not let her go into this pregnancy on an empty stomach. Apparently I had forgotten my extensive pregnancy training, wherein I learned that pregnant women in labor aren't allowed to have food. So, after being told to "get that sandwich out of my face", I excused myself to the bathroom to finish my chicken salad. Once that little unpleasantry was over, we got down to the business of breathing through contractions.

Emily endured around three hours of contractions until the drug doctor (not even going to attempt anasthe-whatever spelling) got there and doped her up. Until this point, she was by no means rude. But after she got the epidural, she was as sweet as a dove. Around six thirty, the nurse checked her again and determined that she was "complete". Fully dilated, set to pop. The nurse mid-wife was not there yet, so after a quick phone call to her it was decided to let the baby "labor down" a bit before we started pushing. Emily's OB had given us her cell number several months ago, but being a fellow medical professional who appreciates a free weekend, Emily decided not to call her. The nurse midwife would have to do.

And boy did she. The nurse midwife arrived at around nine or so, and she was impressive. A seasoned veteran, she had probably seen it all and delivered babies of all size and shape. We were in good hands. At nine thirty, we started pushing. At ten fifty, he was delivered.

If you happened to notice a distint lack of drama in the story I just unfolded, it's because there was none. God gave us just about the easiest birthing experience we could ask for. Not to take anything away from the physical strain Emily went through. But overall, it was a bit surreal - I kept waiting for the Bill Cosby stories to happen, but they never did. I'm going to chalk it up to three parts divine intervention, one part spinal drugs, and two parts strong wife. I think that's everybody.

We were in the hospital until Tuesday afternoon - our room had a full-size Tempur-Pedic bed (being the TP snobs that we are, we had the nerve to be disappointed that it was only a Classic - just a $2000 mattress, and only adjusted as a whole, not independently). We are so spoiled in the mattress department. During this time, we had thousands of visitors. Friends, family, and medical personnel paraded in constantly. I discovered that I could tell the difference between hospital workers and family by the fact that visitors knocked and waited - nurses and doctors knocked and came straight in. Needless to say, I slept in pajamas. Emily had lost all modesty at this point, so she was quite comfortable.

We came home Tuesday evening, and I had the rest of the week off. We took care of insurance, land lines, miscellaneous baby gear, and whatever else we had failed to do before our baby arrived two weeks early.

Right now, my mother (who has been here since the birth and may never be allowed to leave) is on the couch holding my sleeping son. I'm getting jealous, so I'm going to wrap this up, put on my pajamas, and hold my son. Later.

2008-05-14T17:47:00.001-04:00

Well, I guess if we're going to have a blog, that means we have to keep it updated or no one will read it. Here is the latest on the house:

The basement drywall has been repaired. Now we have to prime and paint it before the carpet is installed. Once the carpet is in, we can move furniture down there and spread out a little.

The kitchen cabinets have arrived. We have painted the kitchen, and we're waiting on Home Depot to call us to schedule installation. Once the cabinets are installed, we'll have the floor put in and install the baseboard and crown molding. The countertops are ordered separately and might be another two weeks or so. Once again, when the cabinets are installed, we can move dishes into them a spread out even more.

The bamboo is largely gone. There are a couple of patches, and sprouts come up in the yard every day, but we try to keep those cut off. The backyard looks much larger and much messier. So much work to do back there.

The pool is clean, and just about ready to swim in.

We still need to clean the gutters, order new windows, paint all the doors and reinstall them, have insulation blown in the attic, fix a rafter in the roof, paint the house, cut down the holly trees around the pool (who puts sticker trees near a frequently barefoot-trafficked area?), paint the sun room, replace the sump cover, put in a new sink in the basement bathroom, paint the basement bathroom, re-do the landscaping, and find time somewhere in the next five years to enjoy our house.

We'll keep you posted.

Here we go...

2008-04-20T07:50:00.000-04:00

Emily and I have been considering starting a blog for some time now, but we have only just now gotten around to it. We'll skip the small talk and dive right in.

On March 3rd of this year, we closed on our first house. It's an older (1963) ranch style with a full basement. It needed a lot of cosmetic work, and thanks to a recent flooding, some structural work as well. If you can call drywall replacement "structural work". It might as well be to us, we are novices at home ownership. Note to selves: novices at home ownership shouldn't start out with a 45 year old house. Emily tells herself quite often, "We should have bought a brand-new clone." We'll post before and after pictures as soon as there is an after. That might be some time...

At any rate, we'll post more later. We're quite busy nowadays - I know those of you with homes AND children are scoffing at us now, but be kind, we're newbies. But for now I have to go, it's Sunday morning. I can hear Emily stirring in the bedroom, hopefully making a move to turn off the alarm clock. It's playing "I Want a New Drug" by Huey Lewis. Later-